Notable: First team All-MWC preseason; Biletnikoff semifinalist last year; Biletnikoff watch list this year; Preseason All-American honorable mention by several publications; 10th all-time in school history for receptions.

DeMarco Sampson

Class: Senior

Age: 24

Ht/Wt: 6-2, 205

High school: Castle Park

Notable: Second team All-MWC last season; Second in conference in receiving yards per game last year (84.8); posted career highs last year in receptions (82), yards (851) and touchdowns (8).

The panic-inducing duo the coach was referring to are seniors Vincent Brown and DeMarco Sampson -- clearly the top wide receiver duo in the conference and arguably one of the best in the country. Match that with a strong-armed quarterback in Ryan Lindley and the Aztecs coaching staff has itself a passing attack worthy of national attention.

One is quiet, calculating, a leader by example. The other can be heard from the upper deck of Qualcomm Stadium. Together they are explosive. And if the Aztecs make a bowl game for the first time since 1998, chances are it will be these four hands that help carry them there.

THE QUIET ONE

Nicknamed VJ, because he's Vincent Jr. (not the other VJ in San Diego who is holding out of Chargers camp), Brown has garnered almost every preseason honor awarded to wide receivers. He splashed on the scene last season in the first seven games -- catching 45 balls for 778 yards and six touchdowns. Also a threat as a kick returner, Brown is looked at by his teammates as a quiet leader.

But to Sampson, he's more than that.

"I owe so much to him because when things were tough on me, I looked at how VJ carried himself and I tried to be the kind of teammate that he was," said Sampson.

Sampson spent much of the Chuck Long regime either injured or in the doghouse. He was late to meetings, mouthed off and was all in all a bad teammate. When Brady Hoke came in as head coach, he gave Sampson an ultimatum. And to become a better person, he looked to Brown.

"That means a lot to me," Brown said. "It's funny, because when I first came in, I looked up to him as one of the veteran receivers. It's funny how those things work out."

Brown has drawn the interest of almost every NFL team, which has sent scout after scout to watch the pair during fall camp. Last year, some scouts thought he was a little undersized. So, like many of the Aztecs, he added about 10 pounds of muscle and is now playing at a lean 6-feet, 195 pounds.

"He doesn't catch the ball, he absorbs it," said one AFC scout who asked to remain anonymous.

Brown can stretch the field or do the dirty work underneath. He's viewed as the more polished of the two receivers, and before injuring his thumb against Colorado State last season, he was averaging 17.3 yards per catch -- which was among the nation's best.

Even missing the final five games, Brown was still one of 10 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the nation's top wide receiver. This year -- if he stays healthy, produces similar numbers for a whole season, and the Aztecs develop a run game to free up the receivers -- expect him to be in the hunt for the hardware.

True to his major -- philosophy -- Brown is a thinking-man's football player. He and Sampson regularly watch old game footage -- not of themselves -- but of former Aztecs receivers like J.R. Tolver, Kassim Osgood, Chaz Schilens, Jeff Webb and Brett Swain.

"He's taught me to be a student of the game," Sampson said.

THE LOUD ONE

He's loud. Really loud. He's boisterous. And he's not afraid to get a little chatty. Could be because he's a second cousin of former NFL running back Ickey Woods. Might this be the year we see the Sampson Shuffle?

It took five years and an unfortunate injury to Brown, but Sampson finally broke out into the wide receiver many thought he'd be when he set foot on the Mesa in 2004. When Brown went down against Colorado State, Sampson skyrocketed into the No. 1 receiver spot. He posted career highs in almost every category -- including a record-setting 15-catch, 257-yard performance against the Rams.

"He's good, man. He makes those tough catches," Brown said. "You can just toss it up there and he's going to get it."

At 6-2, 205 pounds, Sampson was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA after missing the 2006 and 2007 seasons with a foot injury. And the Castle Park product has come full circle in his attitude toward the game and his teammates.

"There are definitely enough balls to go around for us," Sampson said. "And if he catches more or has more touchdowns, that's great. I want him to do well and he wants me to do well. We're not envious of each other. But there is definitely some friendly competition going on."

The scouts have also been keeping an eye on Sampson, who some have tentatively penciled in as a second-day draft pick. According to one scout, with a strong season, he could jump to first-day status.

"He's a little more physical than 80 (Brown), and he's not afraid to mix it up," said the same AFC scout. "80 has the speed advantage. But No. 1 (Sampson) plays bigger than he really is."

THE DUO

"They are fun to watch together," said wide receivers coach LeCharls McDaniel. "They feed off each other. But they both have a passion for the game and they are both good young men. They have a passion for winning. They believe they are good. And that's the first step toward being successful is believing that you are good."

Lindley said he's in awe sometimes of what the two of them can do. On more than one occasion, he would just chuck the ball (probably when he shouldn't have) and one of them would come up with a spectacular catch.

And don't think they haven't noticed the preseason hype. The fact that several national preseason publications have labeled them best in the Mountain West and among the top receiving duos nationally has not been lost on them.

With Brown's maturity and Sampson's growth to becoming a more mature player, there's not much this duo doesn't think they can achieve.

"You watch VJ after he gets held or drops a pass. He just bounces up and gets to the next play," Sampson explained. "That's the kind of receiver I want to be. And I think I'm there now.

"And when we're both playing at a high level, look out. It's going to be fun to watch."